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madeleine_p1's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jenny_hedberg's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, there are so many things I love about this novel, the first being the STRUCTURE. I know, I know, it might sound lame, BUT. It's so well done. So, we've got a frame story in which the protagonist is preparing for a retrospective art exhibition. She is haunted by the memories of her childhood and it just so happens that the paintings in her exhibition are all paintings of certain things from her childhood. As she hangs the paintings in the gallery, hangs out in Toronto and prepares for the opening night she seems to be spotting her old childhood friend. Atwood alternates between childhood flashbacks and the present and it all seems to revolve around this childhood friend. The best thing is that the names of the paintings correspond to the subject matter of the flashbacks.
ksheen44's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
volkiano's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
dirtyreadz's review against another edition
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ellietylr's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
mdrosend's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
pagesfromhome's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Oof. This one just did not do it for me.
While Atwood’s writing is, as usual, gorgeous, I just couldn’t get past such a deeply character-driven novel based around characters that I just didn’t enjoy spending time with. I found myself spending more time trying to figure out what it was Atwood was trying to do/show me and couldn’t get lost in the story the way that I wanted to.
There were absolutely points I enjoyed, especially Elaine’s relationship to her art and how she contended what she thought with what others thought (not unlike a writer and her readers), but I just couldn’t get lost in the story the way I wanted to.
While Atwood’s writing is, as usual, gorgeous, I just couldn’t get past such a deeply character-driven novel based around characters that I just didn’t enjoy spending time with. I found myself spending more time trying to figure out what it was Atwood was trying to do/show me and couldn’t get lost in the story the way that I wanted to.
There were absolutely points I enjoyed, especially Elaine’s relationship to her art and how she contended what she thought with what others thought (not unlike a writer and her readers), but I just couldn’t get lost in the story the way I wanted to.
Graphic: Abortion, Toxic friendship, and Bullying
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Murder